Single shot or semi-automatic firearm



Nov. 3, 1964 R. E. wr-:ATHERBY ETAL SINGLE sHoT oa SEMI-AUTOMATICFIREARM 2 sheets-sheer 1 Filed Jan. l0, 1963 INVENTORS P01/E WZATHEKIS'KFRED Z. JENNJE NOV- 3, 1964 R. E. wEATHERBY ETAL 3,155,004

SINGLE SHOT OR SEMI-AUTOMATIC FIREARM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. lO,1965 INVENTORS for l. WMTHERBK F350 L. c/WNIE BY 4 3,155,064 SlNGLE SHUTF. SEMl-AUTMATC FEREARM Roy E. Weatherby and Fred L. leonie, both of 271Firestone Blvd., South Gate, Calif. Filed lan. 1l), 1963, Ser. No.250,549 4 Claims. (Cl. S9-128) This invention relates broadly tosporting firearms; more particularly to sporting firearms havingbasically a semi-automatic repeating action; and specifically to asemi-automatic repeating lirearm that is selectively and easilyconvertible to single shot operation.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a sporting firearmnormally having semi-automatic repeating action that may be selectivelyand easily converted to single shot operation without the use of tools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lirearm of the classdescribed having a novel breech bolt and receiver assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a firearm of the classdescribed having a novel safety mechanism.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a iirearm of theclass described having a novel take-down mechanism.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing specification and claims when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this application and in whichdrawings, like characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

To the above end, generally stated; the invention consists of thefollowing devices and combination of devices hereinafter described, anddefined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. l is a right hand side elevational view of the firearm in itsentirety including its stock.

FIG, 2 is a right hand side elevational View of the receiver section ofthe firearm removed from the stock, some parts being broken away andsectioned, the shift mechanism in position for single shot operation.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary View similar to PEG. 2 with the shift mechanismshown in phantom and positioned for semi-automatic repeating action.

FIG. 4 is also a fragmentary view similar to FiG. 2 with the shiftmechanism shown in phantom and positioned for single shot release.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view taken along line 5 5 ofFIG. 2.

FIGJG is a perspective View of one element of the shift mechanism.

7 is a left hand side elevational View of the receiver section of thefirearm, some parts being broken away and some parts sectioned.

FIG. S is a side elevational View partly in section showing the triggerand safety mechanisms of the rearm, and

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view of the receiver of the firearm insection taken along the line 9 9 of FIG. 7.

While the invention herein presented is primarily directed to asemi-automatic repeating rifle action that may readily be converted to asinfvle shot operation, there is also incorporated therein, a novelsafety mechanism, and a novel quick tairedown mechanism and it istherefore important to note the following components that are common toall firearms of the semi-automatic type. Namely, these componentscomprised, the one piece butt stock, and a fore-end 1G and 11respectively; the barrel 12; and Vthe receiver section 13 talcen as anentirety and hereinafter` referred to as the receiver. Also in furtherinter- 13 will be more speoioally identified by the reference numerals13R and 1.3L directed respectively to the right and left hand sidemounting plate of the said receiver. The butt stock and fore-endassembly lll and 11 respectively are held in `assembled relation withthe barrel and receiver components 12 and 13 respectively by means of afront guard screw 14 and a rear guard screw l5. These guard screws 14and 15 also serve to secure the tnigger guard bow and floor plateassembly lo .and 17 respectively in assembled relation with the buttstock 1l) and the fore-end 11, `and the barrel and receiver components12 `and .i3 respectively.

FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 illustrate fragmentary portions of the receiver 13removed from the butt stock and foreend assembly 1li and 11respectively, said FIGURES 2, 3, and 4 having particular reference tothat embodiment of the invention referred to as the shift mechanism fromsemi-automatic operation to single shot operation which for the salie ofclarity will hereinafter be referred to as the shift mechanism.

To achieve a full understanding of the invention it is also important tonote the breech bolt and extractor assembly 1S taken as an entirety forthe purpose of this application; the trigger mechanism 19; the ham-merZtl; a clip type magazine 2.2i; and the firing pin assembly 22.

Inasmuch as semi-automatic reloading may be considered normal operationfor the subject rearm, and insofar as this application is concerned, noinventive concept is involved va'th respect to the basic semi-automaticaction, the shifting operation to single shot operation and selectivelyback to semi-automatic operation will first be described and consideredherein.

The said shift mechanism selectively changing the operation of thefirearm to either single shot or semi-automatic operation comprises ashift lever 23 externally available to the shooter which, as shown inFIG. l is in a substantially vertical position for single shot operationof the firearm. To best describe a cycle of operation -as a single shotfirearm it will be understood that when a live bullet equippedcartridge, not shown, seated in the chamber of the barrel 12 isdetonated by the combined action of the trigger mechanism 19, and thefiring pin assembly 22, the breech bolt assembly 18 is driven rearwardlyby the forces generated by the detonating of said cartridge. The breechvbolt assembly moves rearwardly on a relatively heavy pin 24 that isseated in the rear end portion of the receiver 13 thereby loading acoiled spring 25 that cncircles the pin 24. it will be understood thatthe coiled spring 25 provides for the forward movement of the breechbolt 13 during the tiring of the firearm.

A latch mechanism 26 is pivotally mounted on a latch pin 27 and ishoused within the receiver 13 said latch pin 27 being journaled insection 13R of the receiver 13.

The said latch mechanism comprises a latch bar 23 having hook means 29formed in its forward and upper end portions. Said hook means 29 whenthe shift mechanism` is adjusted for single shot operation, rides alongthe lower edge portion oi the right hand underside of the breech boltand is urged upwardly into such contact by means of a coiled spring 3hmounted on a pin 31 that is journaled at its respective end portions inside plates 313K and 131d of the receiver i3. One end portion of saidspring Bil extends upward and rearwardly on an inclined plane intoengagement with a spring retaining notch formed in the forward portionof the latch bar 28, the other end portion of which is retained by pin31. A notch 33 is also formed in the said right hand lower edge portionof the breech bolt 18 and is so positioned as to be engaged by the hookmeans 29 on the upwardly urged latch bar 2S at a point when the saidbreech bolt 1S has almost reached its maximum point of rearward travel,said travel being initiated by into locked firing position.

the detonating of the chambered cartridge. It will thus be seen that thehook means 29 will snap into engagement with the notch 33 on the breechbolt 18 and thereby hold the said breech bolt against return to normalforward travels initiated by the action of the loaded main coiled springand thus hold the action open for single shot reloading. chamberedcartridge the shift lever 23 is pivotally moved to its forward positionas shown in FIG. 4. This motion initiated by the movement of the shiftlever 23 pivots an actuator member 34, see FiGS. 5 and 6, one corner ofwhich, see numeral 37, presses downwardly on the lower edge portion of arectangular cavity or hole in the latch bar 28 thereby depressing thesaid latch bar 2S. It is important to note that the said cavity or hole35 is provided with a locking notch 36 for engagement with the saidcorner 37 of the actuator member 34. The latch bar 28 is pivotallymounted on latch pin 27 loading the coiled spring 3l? and thus releasesthe spring 3i) and similarly the hook means 29 from the notch 33 in thelower right hand edge portion of the breech bolt 15. This action permitsthe said breech bolt 1S to move forward against the newly chamberedcartridge for the ensuing shot.

It will of course be understood that the hammer Ztl and the triggermechanism 19 have been cocked for the said ensuing shot by the rearwardmovement of the breech bolt 18. It has not been thought necessary tofully describe tll's cooking action as the movement of the severalcomponents involved as no inventive concept is to be found therein.

It will be understood however, that the entire latch mechanism thus fardescribed is held in assembled relation on the latch mounting pin 27,which extends through a bore in the receiver plate 13R, by means of apair of snap rings 34.

The change over or shift from single shot operation as above describedis achieved by rocking the shift lever 23 rearwardly into a position asshown in FIG. 3. This movement of the shift lever 23 initiates movementof the actuator member 34 and moves one corner, see numeral 38, thereofinto interlocking engagement with a locking notch 36 formed in thecavity 35 of the latch bar 28. The holding action of the said corner 38in the notch 36 is provided bythe upwardloading action of the spring Si?against the spring retaining notch 32 in the latch bar 28. Thisadjustment locks the latch bar 28 in a lowered position thereby causingthe hook means Z9 on the said latch bar 2S to be held completelydisengaged from the notch 33 of the breech bolt 13. Thus, when a livecartridge chambered in the barrel 12 of the firearm is detonated thebreech bolt 18 is driven rearwardly within the receiver 13 on the mainspring pin 24 against the tension of the main coiledrspring 25. On thisbackstroke or rearward movement of the breech bolt 18, ejection of thespent .cartridge chambered in the said barrel 12 is achieved and thenext round, see FIG. 7, is loaded from the magazine 21 into the path ofthe breech bolt 18 which as the same moves forwardly by the action ofthe main coiled spring 24 engages the rim of the case of the nextcartridge in the magazine 21 and is thus moved into the chamber of thebarrel 12 and locked therein by the closed breech bolt 18 until thiscycle is completed rby the detonating of the said cartridge in thechamber and to thus commence the vresulting semi-automatic action to theextent of the loaded ammunition in the maga- 'zine It is important tonote that while it is common practice, the magazine 21 is provided witha spring 39 against the' tension of which'the loaded cartridges are heldin the magazine 21 and urged upwardly by the To close the breech bolt 18on a newly V magazine follower to be engaged by the forward por-V Y ttion of the breech bolt 18 as the same moves forwardly extracted fromthe chamber of the barrel 12 and ejected from the receiver housing, asecondary latch 'oar 40, pivotally mounted on a secondary latch pin 41journaled in the receiver plate 1.3L is automatically motivated. Thissecondary latch bar 40 is provided with forwardly positioned hook means42 that is constructed and arranged to engage the forward edge portionof the breech bolt 18 when the same is in its extreme rearwardrnostposition. Thus, until the last round of ammunition in the magazine 21has been loaded into the chamber of the barrei 12 a spring 4S mounted onpin 50 holds the secondary latch bar 4d out of engagement with theforward edge portion of the breech bolt 18 during the iiring'cycle.

Upon the firing of the las-t round, and with the breech bolt 18 drivenrearwardly by the forces generated by the detonating of the cartridge tothe limit of its rearward travel a hook 43 associated with the cartridgefollower 44, together with the action of the spring 39 within themagazine 21 which overcomes the action of the spring 48, is urgedupwardly to engage a lip 45 on the secondary latch bar 41B thus holdingthe breech bolt 18 open until manually released by manipulation of theshift lever. Said lip 45 extends through the side plate ISL of thereceiver 13 via an aperture 46 and thence through an elongated slot 47in the magazine 21 where it engages the cartridge follower 44. The hookmeans 43 is held against the lower left hand bottom edge portion of thebreech bolt 18 by the upward thrust of the spring 39 mounted in themagazine 21.

The subject firearm is further provided with a novel quick take-downmechanism which is best illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings, andconsists of the embodiment of a snap pin 51 having a head 52 and a shank53 and further including a leaf spring 54. The rear end portion of thereceiver 13 is cut away to overlie an upstanding portion 55 of a rearblock 56. Bores 57 extend through the downwardly projecting sideportions 13R and 13L of the receiver 13 said bores being in alignmentwith the bore 58 in the rear block 56. The shank portion 53 of the snappin 51 extends through the bores 57 and 58 thus pinning the receiver 13to the said rear block 56. The spring 54 is contained within a slot 59in the shank 53 of the snap pin 51 and is pressed into a hole 60adjacent the head 52 ofthe said snap pin 51. The arcuate portion 61 ofthe spring 54 engages the edge of an enlarged portion of the hole 6i)located onthe side 13R ofthe receiver 13.

The actual take-down of the iirearm is achieved by first removing thesnap pin 51 and thence in gripping the butt stock 10 behind the triggerguard 16. The thumb of the shooter is then pressed against the rear endportion of the receiver 13. This forward pressure, see FIG. 7, unlocks alip 63 in the forward end portion of the receiver 13 from a mating lip64 in a formed block 65 which is contained between side plates 13R and13L thereby separating the barrel 12 from the receiver 13 and similarlyfrom the butt stock and forend assembly 1t) and 11 respectively. Itisimportant to note that clearance is provided in the fore-end 11 ytopermit forward movement ofthe receiver 13 and an V'adjustment screw 67mountedin the forward block 65 isprovided to com- Lensate for any excessplay Ybetween`mating lips 63 and The safety mechanism as best seen inFIGS. 7 and 9 of the drawing is contained within theV rear block 56 andcomprises an arm 68 having a hook 69 said arm being pivotally mounted onpin 70 and being loaded by spring 71 which is retained Vby screwr72. Toput the'action of the rearmY on safe a finger piece 73 isV moved rear-Ywardly as will presently bedescribed in detail. The

said linger piece 73 is secured to a slidable dowel Vmerriber 74 bymeans of stem v'l5 which passes "through a'V slotted aperture 76 and issecured to the dowel member 74 'by means of asetscrew 77.v At the upperend portionk K' K' of the dowel member 74,7isv a slot 78 within which isI iii mounted a pin 79. The rear end portion of the arm 68 is positionedwithin the slot 78 of the dowel member 74 and is in continuousengagement with the pin 79. The rear edge portion 80 of the arm 68 is onan inclined plane and at the top of which is located a relatively deepnotch S1.

When the safety is on the pin 79 of the dowel member 74 rests upon theinclined portion itt) iof the arm 68.

When the safety mechanism is off the pin 7 9 is moved into engagementwith the notch S1 by the action of the slidable dowel member 74S as bestseen in FIG. 8.

The pin 79 travels on the inclined portion Sil of the arm 68 and issnapped into engagement with the notch Sl and held so positioned by thecontinuous upward loading action of a spring 71 acting against the lowersurface of the arm 68. The forward portion of the arm 63 is providedwith the hook which disengages notch S3 of the trigger mechanism t9. Thesaid trigger mechanism 19 is then free to pivot against spring SSthereby actuating a locking lever 86. Said locking lever 86 impinges asear 87 which pivots on a pin 83 against the action of a spring 89 whichspring is afforded a base of resistance by pin 9d.

When the trigger 19 is pulled, this action disengages a notch 9i formedin the sear S7 from a rearwardly projecting hook-like member 92 formedintegral with the hammer Ztl which is mounted Ion pin 93 to fall andstrike the firing pin 22 which is carried for endwise movement by thebreech bolt 1S.

it is further important to note a sear `adjustment screw 94 that isprovided to raise or lower the sear 87 to compensate for wear on thenotch 91 on the said sear and for wear on the hook 92 of the hammer 20.This sear adjustment screw 94 has screw threaded engagement with thefloor plate assembly 17 and the inner end portion of said adjustmentscrew impinges the lowei edge portion of the sear 87.

A guide member 95 for the arm 68 of the safety mechanism is fitted bydovetail means into the rear block 56 and is provided to overcome andcompensate for any lateral movement of said arm 68.

While there are herein disclosed but a limited number of embodiments ofthe structure, process and product of the invention herein presented, itis possible to produce still other embodiments without departing fromthe inventive concept herein disclosed, and Vit is desired, therefore,that 'only such limitations be imposed on the anpended claims as arestated herein or required by the prior art.

What we claim is:

l. firearm having a semi-automatic repeating action comprising incombination, a receiver aifording a housing for said action, a chamberedbarrel fitted to said receiver, said receiver and barrel assembly beingmounted in a butt stock and fore-end assembly, a magazine for retaininga quantity of loaded ammunition to be fed automatically to the chamberin the barrel when the said action is adjusted for semi-automatictiring, a trigger mechanism cooperating with a hammer mounted within thereceiver, a breech bolt slidably mounted with respect to said receiver,shift means for selectively changing to single shot operation and backto semi-automatic operation at the option of the shooter, said shiftmeans including a latch bar and actuator member, said latch barincluding a hole therein provided with a locking notch disposed forengaging said actuator member and means for selectively engaging saidbolt, take down means for releasably engaging said receiver and barrelassembly with the buttstocli and fore-end assembly and a safetymechanism having a locking lever associated therewith whereby saidaction may be rendered inoperable.

2. A firearm having a semi-automatic repeating action comprising incombination, a receiver affording a housing and mounting station forsaid action including a pair of transversely spaced vertically disposedreceiver plates associated with the said receiver housing a chamberedbarrel iitted to the said receiver housing said barrel and receiverassembly being mounted in a butt-stock and fore-end assembly, a magazinefor retaining a quantity of loaded ammunition to be fed to the chamberof the barrel automatically by virtue of the semi-automatic action andmanually when said action is changed to single shot operation, a triggermechanism cooperating with a hammer pivotally mounted within saidreceiver and. a locking lever associated with the said trigger andhammer to impart control to the firing mechanism, a breech bolt slidablymounted with respect to said receiver, shift means mounted on thereceiver side plates for selectively changing to single shot operationat the option of the shooter, said shift means including a latch bar andactuator membei, said latch bar including a hole therein provided with alocking notch disposed for engaging said actuator member and means forselectively engaging said bolt, secondary latch means housed within thereceiver comprising a spring loaded latch bar pivotally mounted on theleft hand receiver plate and hook means on the said secondary latch barfor engagement with the forward edge portion of the breech bolt, saidsecondary latch bar normally being held out of engagement with saidbreech bolt until the last round of ammunition in the magazine has beenfed to the chamber in the barrel, latch engaging means carried by themagazine for engagement with the secondary latch bar when said lastround of ammunition has been discharged therefrom wherein the: latchengaging means carried by the magazine is urged upwardly to engage saidmeans on the latch bar that is moved into spring loaded contact with thebreech bolt thereby holding the said breech bolt open until manuallyreleased by manipulation of the shift lever, take-down means comprisinga pin .carried by the receiver housing and extend-v ing through the sideportions thereof and .having engagement with a rear block interposedbetween the said receiver side plates and an aligned bore in said blockto receive the pin thereby pinning the receiver housing to the said rearblock and locking means associated with the said pin whereby said pin islocked in position in the receiver, interlocking means in the forwardend portion of the receiver having interlocking engagement with aforward block contained between the said side plates of the receiver.

3. The structure of yclaim 2 wherein the secondary latch bar is movedinto engagement with the breech bolt when said breech bolt has reachedthe point of its maX- iinum rearward travel and when the last round ofaminunition has been discharged from the magazine into the chamber inthe barrel.

4. A firearm having a semi-automatic repeating action comprising incombination, a receiver affording a housing and mounting station forsaid action including a pair of transversely spaced vertically disposedreceiver plates associated with the said receiver housingI a chamberedbarrel tted to the said receiver housing said barrel and receiverassembly being mounted in a butt-stock and foreend assembly, a magazinefor retaining a quantity of loaded ammunition to be fed to the chamberof the barrel automatically by virtue of the semi-automatic action andmanually when said action is changed to single shot operation, a triggermechanism cooperating with a hammer pivotally mounted within saidreceiver, a firing mechanism shift means, a locking lever associatedwith the said trigger and hammer to impart control to the `firingmechanism shift means mounted on the receiver side plates for selectivechanging to single shot operation at the option of the shooter, actuatormeans associated with the shift mechanism including an actuator memberjournaled in the right hand receiver plate for pivotal rocking movementsabout its horizontal axis, said actuator member having substantiallyrectangular Working surfaces and having sharp corners, a rectangularcavity formed in" the lowerend portion of the shift lever to receive theactuator member and a locking notch in the lower edge portion of saidcavity for interlocking engagement with the lower corners of the workingsurfaces of the said actuator member when movement is imparted theretoby manipulation of the shift lever, said actuator member affording meanswhereby the spring loading of the latch bar having engagement with thebreech bolt is overcome to render the operation of the action of therearm either semi-automatic or rsingle shot loading, secondary latchmeans housed within the receiver comprising a spring loaded latch barpivotally mounted on the left hand receiver plate and hook means on thesaid secondary latch bar for engagement with the forward edge portion ofthe held out of engagement with said breech bolt until the last round ofammunition in the magazine has been fed to the chamber in the barrel,latch engaging means carried by the magazine for engagement with thesecondary latch bar when said last round of ammunition has beendischarged therefrom wherein the latch engaging means carried by themagazine is urged upwardly t0 engage Y breech bolt, saidzrsecondaryrlatch bar normallyrbir, Y

loaded Contact with the breech bolt thereby holding the said breech boltopen until manually released by manipulation of the shift lever,take-down means comprising a pin carried by the receiver housing andextending through the side portions thereof and having engagement with arear block interposed between the said receiver side plates and analigned bore in said block to receive the pin thereby pinning thereceiver housing to the said rear block and locking means associatedwith the said pin whereby said pin is locked in position in thereceiver, interlocking means in the forward end portion of the receiverhaving interlocking engagement with a forward block contained betweenthe said side plates of therreceiver.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,291,689 Sheppard Q Ian. 14, 1919 1,322,053 Reising NOV. 18, 19192,465,699 Smith Mar, 29, 1949

1. A FIREARM HAVING A SEMI-AUTOMATIC REPEATING ACTION COMPRISING INCOMBINATION, A RECEIVER AFFORDING A HOUSING FOR SAID ACTION, A CHAMBEREDBARREL FITTED TO SAID RECEIVER, SAID RECEIVER AND BARREL ASSEMBLY BEINGMOUNTED IN A BUTT STOCK AND FORE-END ASSEMBLY, A MAGAZINE FOR RETAININGA QUANTITY OF LOADED AMMUNITION TO BE FED AUTOMATICALLY TO THE CHAMBERIN THE BARREL WHEN THE SAID ACTION IS ADJUSTED FOR SEMI-AUTOMATICFIRING, A TRIGGER MECHANISM COOPERATING WITH A HAMMER MOUNTED WITHIN THERECEIVER, A BREECH BOLT SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID RECEIVER,SHIFT MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CHANGING TO SINGLE SHOT OPERATION AND BACKTO SEMI-AUTOMATIC OPERATION AT THE OPTION OF THE SHOOTER, SAID SHIFTMEANS INCLUDING A LATCH BAR AND ACTUATOR MEMBER, SAID LATCH BARINCLUDING A HOLE THEREIN PROVIDED WITH A LOCKING NOTCH DISPOSED FORENGAGING SAID ACTUATOR MEMBER AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING SAIDBOLT, TAKE DOWN MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID RECEIVER AND BARRELASSEMBLY WITH THE BUTTSTOCK AND FORE-END ASSEMBLY AND A SAFETY MECHANISMHAVING A LOCKING LEVER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH WHEREBY SAID ACTION MAY BERENDERED INOPERABLE